groff

groff [options] [files]

groff is the GNU implementation of the roff document formatting system. It is a front-end that orchestrates the execution of preprocessors, the troff formatter, and an output driver in a pipeline. It processes text files with embedded formatting commands to produce typeset output in various formats including PDF, PostScript, HTML, and terminal display.The system includes preprocessors for tables (tbl), equations (eqn), and diagrams (pic), and supports multiple macro packages for different document types.

FILES

Input files to process.

Output device (pdf, ps, html, utf8, ascii, latin1, dvi).

Use macro package (man, ms, me, mm).

Run tbl preprocessor for tables.

Run eqn preprocessor for equations.

Run pic preprocessor for diagrams.

Run soelim preprocessor for file inclusion.

Safer mode. Disables .open, .opena, .pso, .sy, and .pi requests.

Unsafe mode. Reverts to the unsafe requests disabled by -S.

Print the pipeline that would be run to standard error, without executing it.

Disable postprocessing. Output raw troff intermediate output.

Generate a plain text approximation of the typeset output.

Shorthand for -m man. Use man macros.

Shorthand for -m ms. Use ms macros.

Display help information.

/usr/share/groff/current/tmac/

System-wide macro files and configuration for groff output devices.

Steep learning curve. Macro packages have different conventions. The -man and -ms shorthands are groff extensions not present in traditional troff. The default output device is ps (PostScript) unless overridden with -T.

groff was created by James Clark as a free implementation of AT&T troff. It is now maintained as part of the GNU project.

troff(1), nroff(1), man(1), tbl(1), eqn(1), pic(1)